Oh, Screw It
by Shooby
Summary: Mizuki and Sano explore their new relationship, while Nakatsu gets a bit jealous. Can they keep everything a secret, or will someone new find everything out? This is a sequel to the one shot To Hell With It.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Oh, Screw It  
**

**  
Fandom: Hana-Kimi**

**Rating: R for now, possibly can go up to NC-17 in the future**

**Summary: Mizuki and Sano explore their new relationship, while Nakatsu gets a bit jealous. Can they keep everything a secret, or will someone new find everything out? This is a sequel to the one shot "To Hell With It."**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hana-Kimi. I kinda wanna change my name to Mitsuki, though...**

Mizuki snuck another glance at the seat next to her.

Sano.

They were dating. They had confessed their feelings. The words, _"I love you" _had been exchanged. They had had sex.

A deep blush spread across her cheeks as she thought about the other night. She turned her head to face the front of the classroom. She couldn't think about that now!

Meanwhile, Sano had his own difficulty paying attention to the teacher's lecture. _'She keeps staring at me. I can feel her eyes on me... what if someone else notices? They'll think we're homos...' _

"Sensei!" Sano raised his hand, panic fluttering in his chest, "may I be excused? I'm feeling faint."

The teacher looked worriedly at his student, "Of course. Would you like someone to accompany you?"

Sano nodded and glanced at Mizuki.

It took only a moment for Mizuki to take the hint. "Oh! I'll go with Sano, Sensei."

"Very well. Go on ahead, then."

The two students left the classroom hurriedly. As soon as they were out of sight and hearing range, Sano pressed Mizuki up against a wall.

"Sano!" Mizuki gasped, her heart beating in her ears, "what are you doing?"

Sano leaned in, as though to kiss her, but instead his lips landed next to her ear and he fiercely whispered, "What the hell do you think you're doing? Staring at me in class like that? We could be found out! People will think we're homos... or even worse, your gender will be found out and you'll be expelled!"

Mizuki stared for only a moment before she pushed at Sano's shoulders, an angry glare on her face, "I _love _you! It's a little hard sometimes for me to keep those emotions inside!" an angry tear slipped down her cheek, "and don't you think that maybe you _pushing me up against a wall _is a little more suspicious?"

For the first time, Sano noticed the position he had put them in. He was pressed up against Mizuki's body, her tiny hands pressing against his chest, his lips against her ear. To an onlooker, it would look as though they were making out.

Sano pushed himself off the wall and Mizuki's body. "I'm sorry, Ashiya.. I..."

Mizuki shook her head and wiped the tears out of her eyes. With a small smile she said, "Call me Mizuki... remember?"

Sano nodded. He surreptitiously took her hand and laid a soft kiss on her palm.

"We should go to Dr. Umeda. If Sensei find out that we never went, he'll be suspicious."

They entered the doctor's office still holding hands.

Dr. Umeda was at his desk, scribbling on a piece of paper. He looked up as he heard the door open and raised an eyebrow when he noticed the two teens. "Holding hands?"

Sano immediately snatched his hand back, but Mizuki only giggled.

"Dr. Umeda knows, Sano."

Sano's eyes were wide. "How'd that happen?"

"He has this eerie sixth sense... it's like he can tell if you have a penis or not..." Mizuki whispered.

Dr. Umeda gave Sano a critical stare, then casually turned away, "Don't worry, you pass."

"Glad I have your approval."

"You don't. In my opinion, the only thing that you have going for you is the fact that you do, indeed, have a penis," Dr. Umeda turned back to his paperwork.

Sano's smooth exterior cracked slightly as he scowled.

"What are you in here for, anyway?"

"Oh!" Mizuki put a hand to her mouth, surprised, "I forgot!"

The doctor gave her a patronizing stare, "You forgot why you came in here?"

Mizuki shook her head, "No, I just forgot to mention it..."

A long, heavy sigh escaped Umeda as he ran a hand through his hair. "You two just go back to your room. It'll give you a nice chance for some alone time."

Sano's eyes opened wide, surprised. "Um... thanks."

"No thanks necessary," an evil smirk emerged on his face, "you just me one big favor."

Before Sano could try and challenge him, Mizuki pulled on his arm, "Thanks, Dr. Umeda!" she yelled, "we'll make sure to pay you back for this!"

She dragged her boyfriend out of the room, "Sano! It's OK! I owe Dr. Umeda, already, for keeping my secret!"

"I suppose you're right," Sano sighed, then smiled, "let's go use this time to our full advantage."

Mizuki blushed.

He had been avoiding them.

He knew that he had been avoiding them.

He knew that they knew that he had been avoiding them.

He had damn good reason to be avoiding them.

So why the hell was he outside their door, worrying his ass off about how Sano was feeling?

_'Because they're still my friends...' _Nakatsu thought, finally deciding the give the door a soft knock.

A moment later, _'OK, no one's here. They're probably down at dinner already, I'll just go and look and...' _his thoughts were cut off by a shuffling inside the room, followed by the click of the lock.

The door slowly opened to reveal a disheveled Sano, his hair mussed up and without a shirt. "Yeah?"

"Oh... Sano...I..." Nakatsu stuttered. Was Mizuki in there? Had they been... _'Stop that thought right there, Nakatsu!'_

"Oh, Nakatsu," Sano looked at the ground, bashful, "is this about the other day?"

Nakatsu quickly shook his head. "We'll talk about that some other time, when you're not... well... I don't really want to know what's going on in there. I just stopped by to make sure you were OK. You left so suddenly in class, I was worried, and..."

Sano gave his friend one of his rare smiles, "Thanks, Nakatsu. I'm fine. I just needed the excuse to get Mizuki alone for a little bit."

The name change did not go unnoticed by the soccer star. "OK, then... I'll see you at dinner?"

"Yeah."

"See ya."

"Bye."

The door closed.

Nakatsu walked away, thoughtful.

It was obvious that his friends were a bit more than that now... but how serious were they? He felt a sudden pang of jealousy. Why did Sano deserve such an amazing person such as Mizuki? He loved her even when he believed she was a guy...

Did Sano just suddenly find out about her true sex, and then come onto her? Was he taking advantage of his sweet, beautiful Mizuki?

He'd have to pay extra attention to the way those two treated each other lately.

Author's Notes:

Well, for anyone who had been asking for a Hana-Kimi continuation, here it is!

I'm working on several one-shots and one other continuation at the moment, so please be patient with updates.

I also have work and school, so really, I have very little time to do any of this.

Thanks to any reviewers. It's always appreciated, and it makes my muse pop up and say, "Hey! Get your ass to the computer! We gotta make those guys happy!"- that's my muse talking... not me.

So... yeah. Review. It just makes my day when I see them.

P.S. I'm still looking for a beta. If anyone is interested, please e-mail me at 


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Oh, Screw It**

**  
**

**Fandom: Hana-Kimi **

**Rating: R for now, possibly can go up to NC-17 in the future **

**Summary: Mizuki and Sano explore their new relationship, while Nakatsu gets a bit jealous. Can they keep everything a secret, or will someone new find everything out? This is a sequel to the one shot "To Hell With It." **

**Disclaimer: Got ownership to Hana-Kimi? I don't...**

The next morning found Mizuki curled up against Sano's stomach, his arm holding her possessively as the two teenaged lovers slept through the alarm.

Finally, Mizuki's eyes cracked open, and she gave a gentle groan at the sunlight. "Sano..." her voice cracked, "Sano! It's time to get up."

She was awarded a moan for her efforts.

"Sano, we need to go down to breakfast."

The arm gripped her tighter and she giggled. "Breakfast is overrated."

Mizuki was about to give in and throw the alarm out the window when a knock interrupted any thoughts of sleeping in.

Mizuki quickly scrambled out of bed to answer the door. "Who is it?" she called as she threw on her vest and a robe, making sure her figure was well-hidden.

"It's Nakatsu.." came the hesitant reply.

A smile appeared on her face as she opened the door and quickly ushered her friend inside. "Hi! We were just getting up for breakfast."

"I just..." Nakatsu began, "I wanted to make sure you guys actually came this time."

Mizuki blushed. He was referring to the last time he had come in to wake them up for breakfast. The last time that they had decided to skip it in order to take part in something more... exciting.

"Yeah, we're really coming," Sano replied from the doorway to the bathroom. He closed the door behind him with a soft 'click.'

"He takes so long," Mizuki grumbled, then she laughed, "this really is like last time, isn't it?"

It was Nakatsu's turn to blush. Last time, he had been given a brief glimpse of Mizuki's chest.

Completely oblivious to her friend's ecchi thoughts, Mizuki doubled her smile. "I'm so happy, Nakatsu. Thank you for keeping my secret."

"I would never tell," Nakatsu said, surprised, "I would hate for you to have to leave."

"I don't want to leave, either," she responded.

They stood in a companionable silence for a few minutes until Sano reemerged from the bathroom. "All done," he said.

"If you two want to go on ahead, I don't mind," Mizuki said, heading toward the shower, "I might be a while. This is the first time that I don't really need to worry about someone walking in on me."

Sano shrugged, "I'll wait. You can go on ahead, though, Nakatsu."

The soccer star hesitated. He didn't especially want to leave the two of them alone together. He also didn't, however, want to watch the two of them be all "lovey-dovey" or anything. "I'll go on down and save you two a seat," he said, and 'accidentally' left the door open behind him.

Sano closed the door and swatted his hands at his girlfriend, "Well, hurry up!"

"You two have been late to breakfast a lot lately," Sekime commented before stuffing some food into his mouth.

Mizuki fought to hide her blush while Sano just cocked his head to the side, "We have? Didn't really notice..."

_'I wish I could play it cool like him...' _Mizuki thought, and grimaced.

"Everything alright, Ashiya?" Sano asked her, concerned.

"Oh, no!" Noe said, startling everyone at the table, "he's mothering him again!"

Mizuki laughed.

"Hey," the table looked up to see Nanba, a tray of food in his hands, "I just wanted to let you all know that there's a restriction on night activity right now, so you all have to be in your rooms by 9:00 from now on until further notice."

"What?" Nakatsu asked, outraged, "why?"

"Didn't you hear?" Nanba asked.

When the entire table shook their heads, Nanba smiled an evil smile and squished into a seat... effectively dropping Nakatsu on the floor.

"Hey!"

"There's a rapist loose in the city," Nanba said confidentially, his voice a soft whisper so everyone had to lean in to hear what he was saying.

Mizuki's heart raced, her thoughts immediately going to her summer at Io's restaurant.

Sano glanced worriedly at his girlfriend, his thoughts taking the same direction. "You OK?" he whispered.

Mizuki nodded slowly, straining to hear what else Nanba was saying.

"He's been running around the city for weeks now, and the police have let out a warning for everyone

under the age of twenty-two," the RA was saying.

"But we're guys!" Sekime said, confident.

Nanba shook his head, "It doesn't matter. This guy likes both girls and boys."

A few boys had a look of disgust on their faces, "That's so gross!"

Nanba shrugged, "It isn't his preferences in gender that make this guy sick," he said, his tone suddenly serious, "it's the fact that he forces unwilling participants into an act of sexual nature," he looked at each individual student, each boy that was in his care, "I'm serious about this, guys. I don't want any of you out after 9:00 until this pervert is caught."

"Wow," Nakatsu commented from his spot on the ground, his voice thick with sarcasm, "didn't know you cared."

The mood broken, Nanba smiled wide and shed the responsible attitude, "You wouldn't." With that cryptic response, he took his tray up and left, winking at the younger students.

Nakao, in his seat next to Mizuki, looked distressed, "What will we do, Mizuki?"

"What do you mean?" she responded. Her heart was still fluttering nervously in her chest, but she smiled.

"We're the cute ones!" Nakao exclaimed, "we'd be the first ones he'd come after!"

Mizuki scratched the back of her head, a nervous smile on her lips, "I don't think we have anything to worry about," she said, "we'll just make sure to stick with the new curfew."

"But, Mizuki," Nakao whined, eyes tearful, "what if he gets into the school? This is the perfect place for fresh meat!"

"Then I'll protect you," Sano was looking straight at Mizuki, and her heart fluttered for a different reason entirely.

The table looked at the two students with confused expressions.

A rare blush crept onto Sano's features and he quickly added, "I'll protect all of you."

"Me, too!" Nakatsu volunteered, jumping up from the floor.

"Oh, great," Nakao sighed, getting up from the table.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Nakatsu shouted, angry.

Mizuki laughed as she watched the two of them argue. She'd be fine with friends like hers watching over her. She knew it.

"Are you scared?" Sano asked as the two headed toward their dorm room.

Mizuki shook her head, "As long as you're with me, I'll be OK. Besides, I joined the karate club, remember? I'm learning a lot."

Sano laughed.

"What's so funny?" Mizuki asked, smiling.

"Nothing," her boyfriend said, "I just can't imagine you beating up some pervert."

Mizuki's smile faltered, "You don't think I can take care of myself?"

"I didn't say that."

"But..." she looked at Sano with confusion. _'Could he possibly not trust me to take care of myself? I know that he's had to save me a lot of times, but there were also a lot of times before I even met him.'_

Sano shrugged, "But, I would just feel better if I were around to make sure that nothing happened to you."

"I don't need you to constantly protect me," Mizuki stated, her voice calm.

"I don't think that you do," came the reply, "but there have been an awful lot of times that I've needed to step in and save the day."

"So now you're my super hero? Sano... I know how to take care of myself."

"Like you did with Makita?"

Mizuki stopped walking, her eyes wide and tearful even as she clenched her fists angrily at her side. "Don't bring him up."

"Why not?" Sano asked, now angry himself, "I had to save you from him just like I've had to save you

countless other times."

"Well," Mizuki was crying now, tears streaming down her face, "I guess if I've been that much of a burden to you all this time, maybe I should spend a little less time with you..." and she ran away as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Ashiya!" Sano called, knowing that he could never catch up with the track star. He shook his head angrily,

"I'm finally opening up to her, and she takes it the wrong way. Damn it." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed back toward his room. When he arrived there, however, he found Nakatsu's roommate sitting on Mizuki's bed, reading a book.

"What are you doing here?" he asked sullenly.

"Mizuki requested that we switch rooms for the time-being," the boy shrugged, "and he seemed upset, so I complied."

Sano fell onto his bed, too upset to argue. "Whatever."

"What exactly happened, Mizuki?" Nakatsu asked.

The two friends were lounging on the floor, a bottle of sake between them.

"He just doesn't trust me," Mizuki answered before pouring herself another small glass. "Thanks for letting me stay here."

"Nah," Nakatsu shook his head, "no thanks necessary." _'Having Mizuki sleep in the same room as me is thanks enough!'_

Mizuki nodded and sipped at her cup. Nakatsu was amazed that she was still sober. He was getting tipsy himself, and yet his friend sat there, seemingly unfazed by the alcohol.

He frowned. He couldn't help but feel guilty about the whole situation. Sure, he hadn't exactly caused any of the tension between the two, but he had been in their room when Mizuki had returned, crying, begging him for a solution. Once he heard gist of the story, Nakatsu was outraged. He suggested that Mizuki stay with him for a while, thinking that perhaps the two of them just needed some time away from each other.

She had hesitated. She didn't like being angry at Sano, and wanted to work it out immediately. He had simply said that nothing good could come out of them talking while they were both still angry... they needed some time to calm down. She had agreed with that.

He shouldn't feel guilty about the situation at all... yet, inside he was rejoicing that the love of his life was sitting in his room, planning on sleeping in the bed above him, taking comfort in his presence. And while he was enjoying Mizuki's company, Sano was sitting with his crazy roommate, probably sulking.

_'I am not breaking them up,' _Nakatsu thought, '_I'm just comforting Mizuki, helping her out.' _He let his guilt flow from his mind as he remembered his earlier doubts, _'Besides... I don't even know if they're really in love. I've still got to find out if Sano's intentions are noble!'_

"Well, thank you anyway," Mizuki said, breaking Nakatsu's inner-monologue.

"Do you want anything else?" Nakatsu asked.

"No," she answered, "I'm just going to get some sleep. Would you wake me up before breakfast, please? I forgot my alarm clock..."

"Sure," he replied as he watched her climb onto the bed.

Nakatsu began to clean up the bottle and the glasses, letting out a heavy sigh as he tried unsuccessfully to ignore the sounds of sobbing coming from the top bunk.

>

Reviewers:

Peace7- Interesting story. Where is your other fanfic, To Hell with it? I went to your profile and it wasn't there?

_Sorry, I should have mentioned something. 'To Hell With It' is rated NC-17, and is in fact my first lemon. I decided not to post ithere because I've heard stories about lemons being removed from the site, and accounts being deleted. For some strange reason, this site isn't allowing me to name other sites in this document (weird...) so look under my profile at the other sites I belong to. You can find 'To Hell With It' at a couple of those._

Satan Hat- Everyones so damn OOC! Its annoying!

_Well, you should be proud! You are officially my first flame! You know, if you could write this as constructive criticism, it would be much more beneficial. If you read my other fic, 'To Hell With It' you may see why they act this way. Would you act the same towards someone after you had sex with them? I could only make my best guess as to how these characters would act after that situation, and this is what I think would happen. Thank you for reading, anyway. If you have any constructive criticism, I'd love to hear it!_

tsumesgirl05- this looks like it is going to a good story to read

_Thank you_

relenabarton- I really liked this, but Sano and Mizuki are a tinny bit OCC. Anyway this was very interesting so please keep writing.

_Thank you for the constructive criticism. Like I said above, this is how I think the characters would act after they finally got together. If you have any ideas as how to make them act more themselves, I'd love to hear it. Thank you so much for reading._

thechickenlittle- so cool to see more fo your writing!

_Thank you! Reviews like yours really make my day!_

Anon- Please continue with this one

_I plan on it. Thanks so much for reading._

Author's Notes:

All of your reviews really made me happy, so one more huge 'thank you' to all of you. I hope none of you mind angst too much... I love fluff, but I thought an actual plot might be a nice change for me. (goofy smile) This siteis being mean and not allowing me to write some stuff in the original chapter for some odd reason. I'll try and fix them soon, as soon as the internet stops being a bitch


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter basically consists of Nakatsu going back and forth from Mizuki to Sano. And, once again, I do not own Hana-Kimi. If I did, well... I certainly wouldn't be living in this bubble...

* * *

He watched, mesmerized, as the club went through their morning routine.

So many boys doing the exact same movements--yet they were all so very different. No two individuals looked the same, caught in a constant stream of motion.

Yet one individual stood out. One person didn't quite fit with the rest of them... or, at least, not in _his _eyes'_Mizuki, why are you so mad at me? I'm only trying to protect you..."_

As though she could hear his thoughts, the slender girl stopped her movements and stood straight, eyes searching for something. When she saw him, her mouth opened in a small "o" before blushing and hurriedly looking away, concentrating once more on her morning practice.

He turned away, feelings of shame and regret bombarding him.

"She just wants your trust, you know," a smooth voice behind him spoke.

Sano turned to see Nakatsu, a somber look on his face. "She has my trust."

Nakatsu shook his head, "Not regarding everything, she doesn't," he leaned in conspiratorially, as though he was revealing a great secret, "you don't trust her to take care of herself."

Sano's eyes widened, a frown still plastered on his face. "I- I want to, but... I'm so scared that if I'm not there, then she'll..."

Nakatsu shook his head, "Don't think that way. If you smother her like that, you'll only push her further away."

"Why are you trying to help, Nakatsu?" Sano asked, leaning against a railing. "You have a good heart and all, but... well, you do love Mizuki, don't you?"

Nakatsu's smile was tainted as he replied, "Yeah... I love her enough to wish for her happiness, not her love in return," and he walked away, his bitterness overcoming his desire to help his friends.

* * *

"I talked to Sano."

Mizuki turned in the lunch line, her gaze landing upon Nakatsu's face. "You did?"

Nakatsu nodded, "Yeah. He... well, he..."

Mizuki turned to him fully, her eyes pleading with his own, "What did he say, Nakatsu? Please, tell me."

Nakatsu's shoulders slumped and a sigh escaped his lips, "He won't listen to me, Mizuki. He–he knows how I feel about you, and he thinks that I'm conspiring against him. Just... give him a little more time. I'm sure that he'll come around."

Her head hung low, Mizuki turned around again, "He'll come around... but will I be here when he does?"

"What do you mean?" Nakatsu asked, his voice tinged with worry.

"It's just..." Mizuki sniffled, a couple of stray tears falling down her cheek, "Sano's the whole reason I came to Japan. Without him," her voice turned to a whisper, "I have no validation for being here."

Speechless, Nakatsu continued down the line behind Mizuki, his concern growing for his friend with every step.

Mizuki walked silently to a table, head cast down. Nakatsu noticed that she was not sitting at their normal table, and hurried to join her. She looked up, surprised, as she felt him sit beside her.

"Mizuki, I..." he began, and coughed into his hand as he blushed. "I... I want you to know that, even though you're here for Sano, that... well, I won't abandon you, Mizuki." He looked away as his cheeks flamed. _'I already confessed my love to her in front of everyone,' _he thought, _'the whole school already thinks I'm a homo. Why would this stupid confession embarrass me so much?' _So lost in his thoughts, he was startled to feel a soft touch on his hand, and looked up to see a small smile on Mizuki's face.

"Thanks, Nakatsu."

_'Although...' _Nakatsu smiled back and gently took his hand back, _'I'll withstand any embarrassment... As long as I can see her smile.'_

* * *

"What if she were to go back to America?" he asked, trying to get the high-jumper's attention.

Sano stopped dead in his tracks, whirling to face his friend. "What did she tell you?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Nakatsu was taken-aback by his friend's anxiety. "She told me that you are the only reason she's here in Japan," he responded, "and that there's no reason for her stay if she can't stay by your side."

Sano's face turned thoughtful, a small frown curving his lips. "She wouldn't..."

"If she thought she could never be with you again," Nakatsu interrupted, "she might."

Sano turned back to the soccer player, "What about you? And Nakao, and Noe, and Sekime, and everyone... wouldn't she stay for you guys?"

Nakatsu shook his head, "We're not enough, Sano. She left her family for you. Here, in Japan... you _are _her family. Don't you get it? You're the only thing keeping her with us!" forgetting his mission for a moment, his anger overcame him, "So stop being so damn selfish! I love Mizuki, too, but my love isn't enough to keep her here! _I'm _not enough to keep her here!" his voice cracked, emotion overcoming him. "Just think about what you're doing for a second, Sano," and he walked away, his anger and bitterness once again dominating his desire to reunite his best friends.

* * *

"Hey, Nakatsu!"

Nakatsu turned at the sound of his name, surprised to see Nanba jogging to catch up to him. "What do you want?" he asked, irritated.

Nanba flashed him one of his patented smiles, "Oh, nothing. I was just wondering... who's this mystery girl of Sano's that everyone's been talking about."

"Huh?" Nakatsu looked confused, "What are you talking about?"

Nanba nudged him with his elbow, laughing, "Don't play dumb! A bunch of people heard you talking to Ashiya about her, and I saw you yelling at Sano about it just a little while ago! So, come on," he nudged him again, "who is she?"

Nakatsu was horrified. "People heard me?"

"Yup," Nanba's smile grew.

"Ah, shit."

"What's wrong?" Nanba frowned.

"N-nothing," Nakatsu quickly responded, "it's just that, well... no one was supposed to know about her. She's a little... well," he frowned, trying to think of a viable excuse, "She's kind of, well..."

"That bad-looking, huh?" he was interrupted by Nanba's thoughtful response, "Ah, yes, I see it now... Sano fell in love with a hideous girl!"

"Sh-she's not..." Nakatsu tried to protest.

"Oh, I know. I'm sure her glowing personality more than makes up for her looks," Nanba winked, "That's just like our Sano. To see past the exterior and to see the inner-beauty!" his eyes shone, "If only I were such a strong man..." and he strolled away, his imagination still running wild.

"Damn Nanba!" Nakatsu growled, "Always coming up with those damn stories!" he sighed, "He's getting as bad as the R.A. from Dorm 3..."

* * *

"So everyone thinks that I'm dating some _other _girl from America, and that she's really ugly?" Sano mused, taking a sip of his tea.

Nakatsu nodded, "At least that's what Nanba told me. Apparently some people heard our little argument, and never even connected this mystery girl to Mizuki.."

"Well, that's a relief, at least," Sano replied.

"Yeah..."

The two were walking down the street, Sano holding onto Yujiro's leash.

The companionable silence was interrupted, however, when Sano cleared his throat. "So... um.. how is Mizuki?" he asked quietly.

"Very sad," Nakatsu replied quickly, "And quiet. She doesn't talk to me a lot, and when she does, she's usually telling me how much she misses you."

Sano shook his head, "So why hasn't she approached me yet? It's not like her to hold a grudge like this."

"I've told you. She's really hurt this time, man. She needs you to approach _her_, for you tell her that you trust her and know that she can take care of herself. She loves you too much to be OK with feeling like a burden."

"She's not a burden!" Sano quickly protested.

Nakatsu raised his hands in defense, "I know that... but she doesn't. Besides... for once, you should be the one to give in first. She's always been there for you. This time, be there for her."

Sano heaved a heavy sigh. "I still don't understand why you're doing this. Just a few days ago you were asking me about my intentions and I'm sure you were plotting something. You love Mizuki just as much as I do... so tell me again. Why the hell are you trying to help us?"

It took Nakatsu a moment to reply. He understood now why Mizuki was so upset. Though he knew that they were his friends and that they cared about his happiness, Sano still refused to see that best in people. He would always be suspicious, even of his best friends. It was tiring and frustrating and it made Nakatsu just want to give up. But, he reminded himself, he wasn't just doing this for Sano. He was also doing it for Mizuki. "Because I love both of you," he finally replied, his voice careful, "And I care about what happens to the two of you. Right now, you either need to go kiss and make up already, or you need a mediator. Neither of you seem quite ready for the former, so it's up to me to be the latter."

Sano shook his head again, "And yet, I still don't understand it," he put an arm around his friend, his face turned away, "But I'm still very, very grateful."

* * *

Author's Note:

I apologize greatly for the incredibly short chapter. But I realized a little bit ago after receiving another review that I hadn't updated this fic in such a long time! I had no idea so much time had passed!

And so, since I'm a bit of a defensive person and I take any opportunity I can to talk about myself, I'll give you my excuses here:

I'm currently enrolled in 19.5 units in school.

I work 24-30 hours a week.

I'm involved in a play at school.

I'm absolutely obsessed with fanfiction, and end up reading more than I write everyday.

OK, so there ya go. I apologize yet again to everyone that's been waiting. Thank you to all reviewers, you are definitely my inspiration to keep going. (insert sappy music)


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Hana-Kimi is not, nor will ever be my property. However... if anyone ever comes across a Nakatsu look-alike.. Well... lemme know.

* * *

"He's not going to make the first move," Nakatsu stated, his voice soft.

Since Mizuki had moved out of the room she had shared with Sano two days ago, she had become accustomed to taking her walks with Yujiro and Nakatsu. She didn't, of course, know that Sano had been doing the exact same thing.

The companions continued to walk the familiar path, making a slight detour in order to avoid the field where Sano normally practiced. Things had been tense lately, to say the least. Nakatsu was still doing his best in order to reunite his friends, but he was having a difficult time with it. Sano seemed adamant about giving Mizuki her space, while the cross-dresser herself was convinced that her boyfriend wanted to be anything but.

A heavy sigh slipped passed Mizuki's lips, and she stopped a moment to kneel beside Yujiro. "I don't even know what to say to him..." her voice was barely above a whisper as she began stroking the dog's head lightly. She looked up at her friend, her eyes impossibly innocent.

Nakatsu sighed, running a hand through his bleached hair. "I'm sorry, Mizuki, I really am.. but I don't think that anything I say will convince him to talk to you. I know he's still very much in love with you, but something's keeping him from coming forward. I mean... you are always the one that comes back to him. Maybe he's just so used to the pattern?"

Though the comment was somewhat of a true statement - and also quite a depressing thought - Mizuki found herself laughing. Tears ran down her face and she held her side as she let out a long, very unladylike belly laugh.

Which, by the way, left Nakatsu quite speechless.

When Mizuki had finally quieted down, she turned to see Nakatsu's inquisitive stare. "Um..." she scratched the back of her head, "It's funny."

Nakatsu rolled his eyes as Mizuki continued to pet Yujiro, a happy smile gracing her lips. _'I guess that means she's kind of getting back to normal...' _

* * *

"Hey, Kayashima...!"

"Eh?" the stoic boy turned upon hearing his name, "Oh, it's you, Nakatsu."

"Well, who did you think it was?" Nakatsu responded agitatedly. He had been looking for the psychic since he had left Mizuki with Yujiro, and it put him into a very sour mood.

Kayashima shrugged, "I thought perhaps it was that spirit that's been following you all day..."

Suppressing a shudder and a desire to quickly turn around, Nakatsu continued. "Listen, can you come back to our room today? I think that maybe, if we give them a little shove, that Ashiya and Sano might be able to patch things up."

"Sure," Kayashima shrugged again, "Besides... it wouldn't do to leave you alone with that malevolent ghost for too long..."

"Do you really need to tell me things like that?" Nakatsu asked. His desire to shudder came back at full-force.

"I suppose not. What would you prefer I to say to you, then?"

"I don't know... nice stuff. Things that'll make me smile instead of piss my pants," though Nakatsu certainly couldn't imagine his roommate thinking of something nice to say...

"OK," he responded, surprising Nakatsu out of his thoughts, "It's a very good thing that Ashiya and Sano work out their differences. Their auras are not only extremely compatible, but they seem to meld together whenever they are near each other. I think that, perhaps, those two are soul mates."

Nakatsu didn't even bother asking Kayashima to explain as he walked away.

Besides... the truth was, Nakatsu kind of already knew.

* * *

"Did you get tired of being around grumpy Sano?" Mizuki asked, noticing Kayashima laying in his own bed, reading a book. She had spent as much time as she could manage with Yujiro, taking comfort in the soft fur and his inability to speak and tell her she was being silly. She had even missed dinner in order to cuddle with the dog a bit more, and she kind of surprised to see Nakatsu's roommate back in his own bed. She, however, just smiled and shrugged it off. "That's OK," she said, "As long as I have a bed to sleep in, I can study and what-not on the floor."

"Um, Mizuki," Nakatsu blushed, cursing her ability to be so incredibly naive, "Kayashima is sleeping in his bed tonight."

"Oh," Mizuki frowned thoughtfully, then smiled, "Am I supposed to share with someone?"  
Nakatsu was sure a nosebleed was inevitable.

"No," Kayashima responded, saving his roommate from humiliation, "You are supposed to return to your own room."

Mizuki frowned as she mulled this news over. "Go back?" she asked, her voice small, "To Sano?"

"I'm sorry," Nakatsu said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, "But the only way to get you two to talk and make up is to push you together forcibly. Sano doesn't understand that he did anything wrong, and you may be unbearably sweet and understanding, but you can be stubborn when you want to be. So... sorry, Ashiya, but I've got to kick you out."

A bear hug was certainly not what Nakatsu had been expecting. He was, however, very pleasantly surprised as he felt the soft curve of Mizuki's breasts against his chest.

When she released him, her smile was radiant. "Thank you so much, Nakatsu. You really are a wonderful friend, and I love you."

In such a hurry to return to her boyfriend and confess and apologize, Mizuki missed the softly whispered words, "I love you, too, Mizuki..."

* * *

She quietly knocked on the door, her other hand twisting painfully in her short locks. 'What if he says no? What if he's still mad...?'

"Yeah?" a call from the other side of the door sounded. His voice sounded dull and tired.

She took a deep breath, her hands shaking as she wrung them in front of her, "Um... Sano? Can I.. Can I come in?"

The door had opened before she could finish.

Sano stood in the doorway looking as handsome as ever. He was in his high jumping uniform and his hair was unkempt, as though he had just finished flying through the air. His eyes, however, were red with lack of sleep and his face just a tad more pale than usual. No one would have noticed unless they cared to look... which, of course, Mizuki did. She cared far more than she was willing to admit at the moment.

"Ashiya?"

Mizuki winced at the name. Had they not graduated to first names only a day or two before?

"Sano, I..." her voice was small, and she looked past him into the room they normally shared.

"Oh," Sano cried, flustered, "Of course you can come in. You don't even need to ask." He moved aside, allowing Mizuki to enter the room.

As soon as the door was closed Mizuki lost what little control she had mustered. Which, really, wasn't that much to begin with. "I can't stand this!" she said, her eyes tearing, "I can't stand being away from you like this, Izumi!"

'She's so honest.' Sano mused, a small smile tugging at his lips, 'And she gives me courage to be honest, too.'

"Mizuki, I'm so sorry about the things I said."

At his words, her face lit up. "Really?" at his nod, Mizuki flung herself into his arms, "I'm sorry too!"

"I trust you." Sano whispered as he ran a soothing hand over her hair, "I've always trusted you. Sometimes I'm just so scared that I'm going to lose you..."

"You won't lose me." Mizuki's voice was muffled as she spoke into Sano's shirt, "I want to always be by your side."

They shared a short, emotional kiss before Sano broke it to just hold her.

They stayed that way for a while, just holding each other, Mizuki's silent tears falling slowly down her cheeks. Sano didn't need to question her... he knew her well enough by now to know that they were happy tears. She was finally home, with Sano, and she cried with the realization that she needn't leave again.

She never would. She wouldn't leave Japan, and she wouldn't leave Sano Izumi for anything in the world. She thought back to the time, not so long ago, when they had so many secrets and so little intimacy. Mizuki felt so grateful that she had been able to share every part of herself with Sano. She was even glad that he had fallen in the shower, despite the fairly large bruise that had erupted on his ass... Blushing, she pushed that thought from her mind. She was never a spontaneous person... and the only time she completely gave into everything she ever wanted was the one time that irreversibly changed her life for the better. They had changed so much over the past week, together.

Her thoughts began to drift as they held each other, and she began musing over the silly misunderstandings that had separated them for two days, while Sano silently thanked whatever deity existed that he had, for once, had the courage to speak what he truly felt.  
Mizuki snuggled closer to her lover, his arms supportive and his chest warm with life. "I'm so glad," she muttered sleepily, and Sano knew that she was falling asleep. He picked her up and set her in his own bed, determined to hold onto her for as long as he could. As he lay down beside her, he heard her mutter again, and his eyes shot open with surprise.

"I'm so glad, Nakatsu..."

* * *

Author's Notes:

Hurray! I finished another chapter in less than three months!

Thanks oh sooo much to my new beta, Jess. (Dude, we have the same name, how cool is that?) She's helping both my stories and my self-esteem, so in my book, she's pretty damn cool.

Anyway, I'm having a bit of a bipolar week, so I apologize if some of my personal life leaks into the story.

One more quick little thing: A reviewer commented that the plot of arapistseemed familiar. Well, if you were referring to the volume with Makita, then, yeah.. part of it stems from that. But if you're talking about another fanfic, I assure you, this plot is original. If someone else has written a similar fic, then I haven't read it.

Just wanted to clear that up!

Hope all is well with my wonderful readers, and that you'll leave me a review to make me smile. :-)


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Hana-Kimi. I'm actually kind of glad I don't, because writer's block isn't a good excuse for a professional.

* * *

Sano, to say the least, had had a trying night.

He lay awake into the early hours of the morning, too afraid of waking Mizuki to leave, and his thoughts too jumbled to fall into a comfortable rest. Why had she said Nakatsu's name? In Sano's jealous, sleep-deprived mind, there could be only one logical reason: Mizuki secretly wished she were in Nakatsu's arms. But, then.. why did she come back to him? And why on earth had Nakatsu worked so hard to get them back together? And if she really were infatuated with Nakatsu, then what exactly happened between them while she stayed in his dorm?

Sano shook his weary head, his mind too far gone to think logically about the situation. Careful not to awaken his lover, Sano extricated himself from her grasp and stood by the bed. He stretched his arms over his head, showing his tight stomach and the thin trail of dark hair that led to more forbidden areas.

"Shower..." He grumbled tiredly, stumbling toward the bathroom. Surely a shower would help clear his mind...

...It didn't. In fact, the ability to think clearly only complicated the situation. Sano ran his long fingers through his hair, washing out the fruit-scented shampoo that Mizuki had bought for them.

"Why would she say his name?" he asked himself for the hundreth time as he leaned against the cool tile, allowing the steaming water to beat against his shoulders. He gently massaged his neck, an ache forming from too much thinking on too little sleep.

"Why did she call me Nakatsu?" his hands fell to his side, his emotions draining him of energy. "Why!" it was only after he noticed the small trickle of blood, the shallow cut on his hand, that he realized he had hit the shower door.

Sano cursed as a spiderweb of cracks spread out across the glass.

* * *

Nakatsu was terribly proud of himself. Not only had he reunited his friends, but he had also done so without acting upon his lecherous desires.

...Not that she would have necessarily _let _him act upon them, but still, he hadn't once tried to take advantage of her.

Mizuki had to appreciate that, right? She had to realize the herculean effort it took to not do more than pat her back or even hold her while she cried. She had to realize how deeply in love he was with her.

_'Why did I help get them back together... again?' _he thought as he pulled on his pants. He was late for breakfast once more.

"Because I want them to be happy," he said aloud, sighing with resignation. Grabbing his uniform shirt and tie, he walked into the bathroom. "I'd have both of them as friends rather than just Mizuki as my girlfriend..." He threw on his shirt and began working on his tie, grumbling. "I mean, I love Mizuki, but Sano's been my pal for a while now. I couldn't do that to him, could I?" Taking a last look in the mirror, Nakatsu gave his image a thumbs up.

"Time to find out if my self-control was really worth it."

* * *

She had had it all planned out. She would wake up in his arms and turn her head to find him staring at her, a small smile playing at his lips. '_What?' _she would ask him, a little self-consciously. And he would respond, '_I was just admiring you, Mizuki. You're beautiful in the morning light'. _And she would get that tingling sensation from her fingertips to her toes and he would lean down and gently kiss her, and she would smile gratefully as she returned the kiss and then they would...

But none of that had happened.

Mizuki let out a resigned sigh as she zipped her vest up. She awoke that morning to find herself alone in Sano's bed, a note taped to the pillow. He had left for an early practice, it had said.

Mizuki couldn't help the next sigh as it escaped her. "Guess I picked up too much of that American romanticism..."

She slipped her shirt over her head, her tie following. "But it'll be OK," she reminded herself, "Because Izumi and I made up. We're not fighting anymore."

And with her ever-present, innocent smile plastered on her face, Mizuki left the room to walk to breakfast--alone.

* * *

The morning was foggy as Sano ran his third lap around the track. He hadn't been there for too long, and he was already slowing from fatigue, his thoughts too heavy for his legs to support.

With sweat beading on his forehead he headed toward the locker room, switching the lights on as he went. Normally, no one was here this early. Sano peeled his shirt over his head as he sat on a bench, catching his breath.

"Should I talk to her?" he asked himself aloud, running a hand through his hair. He shook his head and immediately buried his face in his hands. "What am I going to do?" he mumbled.

"Well, first of all, you should probably shower."

Sano sat bolt upright at the unexpected voice.

"Don't look so frightened, I'm not going to hurt you," Dr. Umeda casually walked around a bank of lockers, a cigarette dangling from his fingers.

"I didn't think anyone else was here," Sano responded.

Dr. Umeda smirked, "Well, lucky enough for you, I was taking a walk when I noticed the lights."

"Why does that make me lucky?" Sano asked coldly.

"Because now you are able to receive my expert advice, of course," Dr. Umeda said casually, "Mizuki always finds my words of wisdom helpful.."

At the name of his girlfriend, Sano's features darkened.

"Ah, so it's about Mizuki, is it?" Dr. Umeda asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not having any problems," Sano responded quickly, "And especially not with Ashiya."

"Of course not," Dr. Umeda said as he turned his back, heading toward the exit, "You're not having any problems with _Mizuki_." When Sano didn't respond, Dr. Umeda sighed and turned around, "When you want to talk, let me know. I'm sick and tired of you two misunderstanding each other. You're too damned perfect for each other to let something like that come between you."

Sano sat for awhile, contemplating Dr. Umeda's words. Finally, Sano came to the decision to follow Dr. Umeda's advice...

... and take a shower.

* * *

Mizuki had arrived at breakfast a little late, only to find Nakatsu with an extra plate of food and a seat saved.

"Morning, Mizuki," Nakatsu smiled widely, pushing the food in her direction, "Where's Sano?"

Mizuki sat down with a heavy sigh, "Early practice."

Nakatsu quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"

"That's what his note said," Mizuki replied, sniffing at her food appreciatively, "Why?"

"Well... because the rest of the team is here, along with the coach. If Sano's practicing, it's not because it was required."

Mizuki smiled sadly, "I know. But if he needs room... well, I guess I'll have to give it to him."

"You're a bigger..._ person_ than I am," Nakatsu shook his head.

Mizuki laughed.

* * *

Mizuki was absolutely sick of people avoiding her. First Nakatsu, and now...

"Sano!" she ran to catch up with him, his strides quickly taking him in the opposite direction.

She knew he had heard her, but he didn't acknowledge her presence until she was right next to him, "Izumi, hold on a second!"

He stopped, his back stiffening. "Yes?" he asked without looking at her.

As resilient as Mizuki had proven herself to be, Sano's blatant discomfort and dislike toward her shattered her heart instantly.

"I... um..." she stuttered, her eyes tearing and her throat constricting.

"I'm sorry, Ashiya, I'm in a hurry," he made a show of looking at his watch, a frown forming on his face.

"Yeah, OK, sorry..." she turned in the opposite direciton and quickly walked away, sobs shaking her shoulders.

Sano shook his head and whispered to himself, "I'm sorry... I just need some time..."

He almost turned around. He almost ran to her, put his arms around her, gave her comfort and told her that he'd never leave her and that they could discuss any misunderstandings and that they'd always be able to work everything out...

But instead he sank against the wall, burying his head in his hands.

And somehow, Sano was determined to convince himself that this was the right thing to do..

* * *

"Have you seen Mizuki?"

Sano looked up from his book, surprised. "I assumed she was with you."

Nakatsu looked confused, "Why would she be with me? She's your girlfriend."

"Sometimes I wonder..." Sano shook his head, frowning.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Sano waved a hand, burying his face in his book again.

"Listen, Sano, I don't know what problems you're having with Mizuki _now_, but I've been asking and no one's seen her for a while." Nakatsu's voice was tinged with worry.

"Who've you checked with?" Sano asked, trying to calm the tightening in his stomach.

Nakatsu counted on his fingers, "Noe, Sekime, Kayashima, Nakao, Kudo, and a bunch of random kids..."

"What about Dr. Umeda? Nanba?"

Nakatsu shook his head, "I was leaving Nanba as a last resort, and I never voluntarily go to Dr. Umeda.."

Sano stood up, making his way to the door, "Come on, we've got to find Nanba."

The two students found their RA in his room, studying.

"Ashiya's missing?" Nanba asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"No one's seen him since this afternoon," Nakatsu explained, "And we're starting to get worried."

"I'll say," Nanba glanced at the clock, "It's almost eleven now. He's two hours late for curfew... that's not like Ashiya."

"What should we do?" Nakatsu asked impatiently.

"You two do nothing," Nanba stood up, closing his book, "I'll notify the authorities, and we'll get a search party going. In the meantime, try and check with some more people, he may just be studying late with a friend," Nanba exited his room, leaving behind an anxious Nakatsu and a stoic Sano.

"It isn't like Mizuki to stay out this late, although it would be like her to forget about the new curfew..." Nakatsu scratched the back of his head. "...why was our curfew changed again?"

As though a hammer had just hit both boys across the head, the color in their faces drained and they looked at each other in horror.

"The rapist..."

"That likes both girls and boys..."

"And is still loose in the city..."

They dashed out of the room, the danger they put themselves in of no concern.

They only needed to find Mizuki.

"I'll go left, you go right," Sano yelled as he reached the gate, not waiting for a reply.

* * *

Mizuki glanced at her watch, her eyes widening in surprise, "I can't believe how late it is!" she exclaimed, "I've missed curfew..."

She had left the dormitory, tears blurring her vision, and had walked aimlessly for hours. Now, as she strolled back toward the school, she allowed her thoughts to stray once more to Sano. _'I wonder why he's so mad at me...'_

She made a face. _'There always seems to be some reason lately.. I just wish I knew what I had done..."_

She continued to walk, now passing by the field that the track team would sometimes compete at. As she neared the fence, she paused. Curling her small fingers through the wire fence, she stood for a moment, doubts filling up inside her head. "Did I do the right thing?" she asked herself aloud. "Should I have just stayed in America and admired Sano like a normal fan?" She rested her forehead against the fence, eyes drifting shut.

"Hey, you all right?" a voice beside her asked.

Mizuki jumped, surprised, and turned toward the voice.

A man, no older than thirty, stood there. He had very unremarkable features: pasty skin, brown hair, a little stubble across his chin... except, in the darkness, his eyes looked like obsidian pools.

"You OK?" he reiterated, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," Mizuki responded, smiling.

"Anything you need to get off your chest?" the man asked, leaning against the fence beside her.

"That's kind of you," Mizuki said, "But I really should be going, I'm very late." She turned to leave, but was stopped by a hand on her elbow.

"I'm a good listener," the man insisted, his grip tightening.

Mizuki nodded, the quick beat of her heart sounding like drums in her ears. Turning, afraid of what this stranger might do if she refused, she related the story of how she had come to Japan to meet Sano, and how recently they had been fighting a great deal. She, of course, left out her true gender and didn't mention her and Sano's intimate relationship.

"Sounds to me like this guy's in love with you," the man nodded sagely after Mizuki had finished.

Mizuki blushed, "Y-you think so?"

The man nodded, "And who wouldn't be? You're a very attractive young lady."

Mizuki's eyes widened, her blush intensifying, "I'm not a girl! I'm a boy!"

The man laughed. "I can understand your reason for keeping this a secret, but you can trust me. Besides... whether or not you deny it, I know the truth."

"I... well, I..."

"What's going on over there!" someone shouted, causing Mizuki and the stranger to jump in surprise.

A uniformed officer came jogging over, the flashlight in his hand searching their faces. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine, officer," the stranger responded, "We were just talking."

"Well, that may be, but it's late and if I'm not mistaken, there's a criminal still loose in the city. I'd feel better if you two would be on your way," the officer gave Mizuki a closer look, "And I do believe that you're a student at Osaka Gakuen, are you not?"

"I am," Mizuki responded in a small voice.

"Well, then you especially should be on your way," he gave her a cold stare, "Our department was informed that your school now has a curfew at 9:00. I believe that was... three hours ago?"

"I was on my way there," Mizuki insisted, but she was interrupted.

"I'll escort you back to your school," the officer replied crisply, "And you should be on your way as well, Sir."

The stranger nodded, "I'll do that," he turned to Mizuki, "You take care. I'm sure that your friend will come around soon."

"Thank you!" Mizuki called back as she was herded down the street by the policeman.

Mizuki walked with the officer for a while in silence before she finally realized that he had led her to a dark alley, and that they were not heading toward her dorms.

"Hey, where are we-?"

She was cut off by a calloused hand covering her mouth, the other curling around her waist and pulling her flush against a hard body.

"How lucky was I," the policeman whispered in her ear, "To find such a lovely young boy traveling all by himself after curfew?"

Mizuki froze, her back stiffening and her heart beating a tornado in her chest. As the hand covering her mouth moved downward, whispering like a ghost across her stomach, she couldn't help the small whimper that escaped her.

"You can cry," the man said, "I don't mind."

Mizuki suddenly found herself pushed against the concrete, greedy hands ripping at her clothing as her vision swam.

She must have passed out for a moment, because she suddenly realized that the majority of her clothing had been tossed aside and the man above her whistled.

"Looks like we have an imposter," he crooned, hands gliding over the swell of her breasts, "But that's OK. I don't really mind that, either."

Tears leaking from her eyes, Mizuki tried to kick out at him, only to find his weight firmly straddling her legs, one hand holding both of her's above her head.

"Don't fight me," he whispered as he drew his tongue across the skin of her neck, "This'll take a while... we wouldn't want you tiring out, now would we?"

Mizuki shut her eyes, small whimpers escaping her throat as she tried to think of something, anything but what was happening to her at that moment.

A hand inched down her belly, fingering her only remaining clothing. As a finger gently brushed the beginning of her curls, Mizuki heard a dull crash and felt the man's full weight upon the length of her body.

"Hey, are you OK? Hey, can you hear me?"

Mizuki opened her eyes as she felt the dead weight of her attacker lifted off of her. Through the blur of her tears she could make out the shape of a young man. "Sano...?"

The man snorted and shook his head, "Only in my nightmares, kid."

* * *

Author's Notes:

Wait, Sano didn't save the day! The world is coming to an end!

I don't think you guys want to hear my excuses anymore. But, I'm going to give them to you anyway. Studying for finals, a shoulder replacement surgery, and writer's block were the big factors keeping me from updating this time. Writer's block being the main problem...

Also, my computer crashed a while ago, and I lost what I had already written of this chapter, and I had to start over.

I hope to be able to write the next chapter sooner, although I am working full-time this summer.

Thanks again for all the support and all the wonderful reviews.

And thank you to my amazing beta, Jess.

Hope everyone is having a great summer!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Hana-Kimi or its characters.

* * *

Sano sat on a bench, breathing labored, arms resting against his knees as he took a moment to collect himself. Sure, Mizuki was always getting herself into trouble, but that didn't necessarily mean that she would run into the rapist, right? And even if she did, the streets were still relatively crowded... it's not like she'd go somewhere secluded with a total stranger, would she...?

Sano groaned, smothering his face in his hands. _'She would. She would. She would, she would, she would!'_

As much as he loved every aspect of his girlfriend... she was far too trusting for her own good.

Sano desperately wished that he could afford a cell phone, because at that moment he would give anything to hear some news. He knew that Nakatsu was out there as well, searching restlessly for Ashiya, but still...

He had a feeling, in the pit of his stomach, that he was too late...

* * *

Nakatsu was still running, even though his lungs burned and his legs felt like jelly. For a soccer superstar, he certainly felt terribly out of shape at that moment.

It didn't matter, though. He'd run to the ends of the earth to find Mizuki.

Taking a sharp turn, Nakatsu suddenly stopped in his tracks. Was that...? And with...? In his _arms_?!?!

* * *

Mizuki couldn't help the tears that continued to fall, soaking into her savior's t-shirt and making him shiver.

She weighed practically nothing, but still he shifted her weight occasionally, making sure she stayed awake. He didn't know too much about first-aid, but he did know if was probably a bad idea to let her sleep when there was a good possibility she had a concussion. "So..." he started, thinking that perhaps conversation would help, "You're a girl, eh?"

Mizuki laughed suddenly, a great, heaving sob that sent her into another fit of tears. "Yeah..." she sniffled, "I'm a girl."

"Well, listen..." he hesitated, "I need to take you to the hospital, so I'm sorry, but..."

"No!" Mizuki protested, struggling suddenly in his grip, "You can't do that! I'll be kicked out of school!"

"I'm sorry, Ashiya, I really am... but you've been through something really traumatic, and it's important that you're checked out..."

"He didn't do anything," her voice was soft and pleading, "You came before he had the chance."

"Please, let me take you to the hospital..."

"There's someone I can go to at school," she confided, "You're awfully nice now that you know that I'm a girl," she pointed out, trying to change the subject.

He sighed, desperately wishing he hadn't decided to take a late-night stroll that evening, "I... I can't be mean to you after what you just went through. Besides... was I really that bad?"

"Worse," Mizuki giggled, sounding like her old self for a moment. "You were terrible. Your sisters are really nice, though."

He smiled fondly, "You think you can walk now?"

Mizuki hesitated, "I can try.." and began to struggle out of his grip.

"Hey, now!" he readjusted her, making sure his jacket stayed tightly around her figure, "You weigh practically nothing. If you're not sure, then let me carry you."

Mizuki settled once again into his arms, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply the scent of sweat and cologne. Somehow... he smelled quite a bit like Sano. She felt her breath blow out in a sigh; she couldn't help her disappointment that Sano had not been her rescuer.

Her breath hitched. She couldn't help her disappointment that she had not been able to rescue herself.

Mizuki blushed, realizing that she had not thanked him for his help, "Thank you..."

"I'm just glad I decided to take that walk tonight," he smiled, contradicting his earlier thoughts.

"Me, too," Mizuki admitted softly, "I'm very grateful."

He blushed, "Yeah, well... we're almost to Osaka. Your friends will be worried about you. Especially Sano, I'm sure."

Mizuki made a face, "I don't know. We've been arguing."

"About what?"

Mizuki felt the tears rolling down her cheeks once more, "Actually... about how I can't defend myself..." She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, "I guess Sano was right, after all. I need someone to protect me, I can't even take care of myself on a daily basis."

"You can't really believe that," his voice was thoughtful.

"I don't--"

"Ashiya, you've been the only girl in an all-boy's school for over a year now, and the only person that knows your secret is your roommate," he looked down at her, "not only does that take an amazing amount of courage, but it also takes skill and strength."

"Actually, the school doctor, Dr. Umeda, knows," she placed a thoughtful finger against her lips, "And Nakatsu knows."

"How does that dolt know?" he followed her movement without really noticing, "And the school doctor? Don't tell me that you let him examine you?"

"No!" Mizuki exclaimed, "He just... knew. It was like he could sense I didn't have a--you know," she smiled sheepishly, "And Nakatsu found out because he kind of walked in on me while I was... topless."

The young man stumbled, a hot blush spreading across his face. It had occurred to him at that moment that he, too, had seen Mizuki without anything on...

"The fact is, you _do _fend off guys on a daily basis, they're just not quite as _disgusting _as that asshole back there," he whispered, trying to fend off his embarrassment.

Mizuki blushed, looking away. Her heart was pounding and she wasn't sure how to respond.

"Ashiya, I want you to know that if you ever need some time away, you're welcome to stay with me and my family," he found himself speaking without even considering the words, but found himself pleased with the result.

Mizuki froze, surprised and overwhelmed by the offer. She opened her mouth to speak, was unable to mutter even a sound.

"Just think about it."

"Mizuki! Mizuki!"

Mizuki turned, her fears forgotten and her face lighting up as she spotted Nakatsu running toward them.

"Nakatsu! I'm so happy to see you!" tears gathered in her eyes, relief finally flooding her entire body and making her weak once more.

"Hey, now!" her rescuer shifted her in his arms as she began to fall backward, "Come on, Mizuki, stay with me!"

"Mizuki!" Nakatsu leaned against his knees, breathing heavily, "What the hell happened?" he demanded.

"I found her passed out, naked, with a guy in uniform on top of her. I knocked him out and headed back toward Osaka," his explanation was succinct as he cradled Mizuki's head carefully in his hand.

"Did you call the police?" Nakatsu asked, accepting the explanation.

"No phone," he looked at Nakatsu, gesturing toward him with his head, "Give me your pants."

"What?!"

"It's not exactly summer, idiot. My jacket isn't enough for her."

"Why don't you give her your pants, then?" Nakatsu grumbled, but complied nevertheless.

"She's already wearing my jacket, I need some clothing," he took the offered pants, "Thanks. Help me get these on her."

Nakatsu helped to lay Mizuki out and cradled her head in his arms as the other teen pulled the pants on her, poking a hole in the belt in order to keep it cinched.

"Where's Sano?"

"Looking for her," Nakatsu gestured towards Mizuki, who had since fallen unconscious.

"Well, let's get her back to her room, and then we can go search for him," his eyes widened as he stood and he smiled maliciously, "Heart boxers?"

"Shut up. By the way, where are Mizuki's clothes?"

"I left them there. They were mostly torn up, and they'd only be reminders of what had happened."

"Why... why are you helping us?"

"Sano might be my enemy," Kagurazaka replied, "But she's one of my sister's friends." He looked at her fondly, "And.. I think, one of mine, too."

* * *

Author's Notes:

Yes, short chapter, I know... sorry. (sheepish smile)

Congratulations to everyone who guessed Mizuki's rescuer correctly!

And could this possibly be another rival for Mizuki's love?? We shall see...

Oh, and before anyone brings it up.. I used the term "enemy" at the end on purpose. Yeah, it's a strong word... but with everything they'll be competing over, I think it's a good way to describe their relationship... for now.

Many thanks to my beta, Jess.


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